A Bengaluru Special Court has ordered the filing of an FIR against Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman over allegations of extortion through the now-scrapped electoral bonds scheme.
The complaint was filed by Adarsh Iyer of the Janaadhikara Sangharsha Sanghatane (JSP), accusing Sitharaman and others of orchestrating an extortion racket under the guise of electoral bonds.
A complaint filed in Bengaluru names not only Nirmala Sitharaman but also BJP President JP Nadda, and Karnataka BJP leaders Naleen Kumar Kateel and BY Vijayendra.
The complaint alleges that corporate entities were coerced into purchasing electoral bonds to the tune of thousands of crores, citing raids conducted by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) as a pressure tactic. These electoral bonds were purportedly cashed by BJP leaders at both national and state levels.
The complaint claims that the electoral bonds scheme facilitated the accumulation of illicit funds for political purposes, with Ms Sitharaman and other senior BJP leaders involved in the process.
The BJP has defended Nirmala Sitharaman, distancing itself from the allegations. The party argued that the charges are politically motivated and that the electoral bonds issue is a policy matter, not a criminal one. The BJP also attacked Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah over the ongoing MUDA case.